


The Rockin' Marshmallow Adventures!: Prelude

by Butterfly_Thoughts



Category: The Rockin Marshmallow Adventures
Genre: Adventure, Dimensions, Gen, Humans, Marshmallow - Freeform, rock music
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:32:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterfly_Thoughts/pseuds/Butterfly_Thoughts
Summary: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six."- Revelation 13:18In a prequel to the comic series  "The Rockin' Marshmallow Adventures!", somewhere in The Infinite Abyss of Canada, a Satanist, a gang leader and a stoner are a group of wannabe rockers that attempt to defeat one of the greatest threats to their lives and possibly their hometown. They discover that they may need to rely on the supernatural forces of Rock n' Roll to resolve their problems which quickly turns into traveling space and time and saving the souls of Led Zeppelin from Hell....We'll explain it eventually.Hopefully.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Read the comics (not finished): http://syrinxpriest2112.deviantart.com/art/Rockin-Marshmallow-Adventures-Pg-1-650850669

It was a warm, sunny day somewhere in the infinite abyss of Canada, where Ivan was returning to his apartment from a long day of work. He walked up to his door and looked in his pocket, fumbling for the key, finding it and unlocking the door. He shut the door behind him and plopped down on the couch in his living room of sorts, when he felt someone grab his shoulders.

"Hey, guys! Ivan's back!" That someone called, and two others rushed in from their bedrooms.

"Andre, you can't just pounce on me like that," Ivan said, turning to the person behind him. "I've had a long day. I'm kinda unhappy right now."

"Nah, man, I've got you!" Andre exclaimed, pulling a small piece of rolled up paper out of his pocket. "Rolled this a couple of minutes ago. Thought you might be wanting one after work."

"...No, I think I'm good."

One of the other boys rushed to Ivan's side on the couch. "Dude, no way! Ivan never passes on getting high! You alright, man?"

"I'm fine. I was just thinking. You guys have heard of Heaven's Outcasts, right?" Ivan asked the group.

"You mean that motorcycle gang that steals people from their homes?" The other boy who hadn't spoken asked, flipping his dark hair out of his face. "I've heard of them. They think they're so fucking cool and shit, riding around on their fancy motorcycles their mommies and daddies bought them. Yeah, sure. Go ahead and live in your condominiums for all I care."

"Darby, cut the emo shit," Ivan suggested. Darby scoffed.

"It's not emo, it's goth! Christ! Emos don't exist, dumbass. Emos are posers who still conform to the normality society has set out for them. Goths are the ones that truly rebel against conformists."

"Yeah, whatever," the boy on the couch said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I still think it would be cool to meet these Heaven's Outcasts. Is that what you were getting at?"

Ivan nodded. "Yeah, kinda. We wouldn't really be meeting them, just visiting where they work. I hear they have their meetings on Fridays. Seeing as how today is Friday, we might get some interesting intel."

"Sounds good to me!" Andre said. "When are we going?"

"Now," Ivan explained. "That's why I'm sober. I'm the driver here, after all."

***

Once the group arrived at their destination, Ivan looked around at his group of passengers. He had parked in front of an abandoned house, and everyone was confused why.

"Are you sure we're supposed to be here?" Andre asked from the back seat.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ivan reassured. "I've seen members walk in and out of here many times. Even if this isn't HQ, they're here A LOT." Everyone nodded.

"Alright, good. Now, Andre and Darby, you two walk into the back from the left. Wesley and I will walk in from the right. Think you can do that?"

Andre gave a thumbs up with a smile, and Darby shrugged nonchalantly.

"Good enough for me. Think you're good, Wesley?" Ivan asked his friend in the passenger seat, who nodded.

"Alright. Everyone out of the car."

The others did as instructed, getting out and going in their designated directions. Once they got to the back door of the building, they noticed that the place was much less guarded than expected. Hell, the door itself was wide open. When they walked in, the place looked much larger inside, with lovely wallpapers and well-kept floors. The group heard voices ahead, and Ivan motioned for them to get closer.

"Well, if we rob the local Toy Store, we'll have toys to bring to the children. They already have plenty of food; that won't matter if they aren't happy," someone in the room said, clearly carried over from a past conversation.

"I suppose that's fair," the man at the head of the table mumbled. The group had supposed that was the leader. He had piercing blue eyes, and a blonde mullet that reached his back. He flicked his bangs out of his face, sighing. "You know how high their security systems are. We'll need to-"

He was cut off when he saw Andre's head poking through the doorway, when Darby pulled him away.

"RATS!!" The leader exclaimed, jumping out of his chair and charging for them. Soon after, the rest of the gang was up, running towards the intruders. The leader pounced at Darby, who pulled out his pocket knife and started slashing at the leader's face.

"YOU FUCKING FREAK!!" Darby yelled, swinging and missing quite a few times, but got a couple hard swipes. The leader fell back, writhing on the ground. Andre and Wesley managed to escape as they didn't want trouble, while Darby continued to kick his victim in the stomach. "CONFORMIST!"

Two of the gang members grabbed Darby by his arms, restricting him as they threw him out and shut the door. Once it was locked, they ran back and grabbed Ivan in a similar fashion.

"Boss, what do you want us to do with this one?" One of the goons asked. The leader did not respond. He was still lying on the floor, his body trembling.

"He's hurt!" The other exclaimed. "What do we do?!"

"I think I can help him," Ivan offered, and the members exchanged glances.

"How do we know you won't hurt him?" The first member asked, grabbing a tighter hold on Ivan's arm.

"You have my word. All I need is a first aid kit. Do you WANT him to bleed out?"

"Fine. Brady, get the kit," the second member said. Brady complied, going into another room and grabbing a white box, giving it to Ivan.

"Help him. If you flee or try to be smart, we WILL find you."

Ivan slowly walked over to the leader's side, kneeling down.

"...Hi there. I know it hurts, but I'm going to help you. Can I see your face?" He asked, kindly. The leader was hiding his face in his arms, then removing them to reveal the many cuts on his face. Ivan whispered a near silent "oh shit..." under his breath.

The leader's face was covered in pretty deep cuts, a small pool of blood starting  below his head. His eyes were puffy and red with tears, and his shirt was covered in shoe marks from being kicked. Ivan had also noticed a decent amount of eye liner running from his face. "D-don't... hurt me..." He sputtered through the phlegm in his throat.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm helping you. Are you able to sit up?" Ivan inquired.

"No, it does- it hurts," the leader stuttered, sniffling. Ivan sighed, opening the first aid kit and grabbing a washcloth.

"Hey, can one of you guys grab a water bottle?" Ivan asked, and Brady ran to the kitchen and came back with a bottle, handing it to Ivan.

"Thank you," he said, pouring a bit of the water on the washcloth. "Now, this might sting..." He applied the washcloth to the leader's face, who winced slightly.

"Sorry!" Ivan exclaimed. "It'll get infected if I don't treat it." After cleaning it, he applied a piece of cloth and bandage to the wound, then treating the others in the same fashion.

"There," he breathed. "Are you alright?" The leader shakily sat up, his hands still relatively close to his face. It was almost like he was protecting himself, as if Ivan was going to hit him.

"Why would you help me?" He asked, still crying slightly.

"Because... I can't just let you die in front of me! That would make me an asshole. When you take two years of Boy Scouts, you learn some things," Ivan explained.

"...Oh. Well, either way, seeing as how you might have saved me a trip to the hospital, is there any way I can repay you?" The leader inquired.

Ivan had a large grin on his face. "Actually, yes. The reason I came here was to have a place to stay. I live in an apartment with those other people that were here. It is a fucking NIGHTMARE. The one guy gets high more often than I do, the other is annoyingly quiet, and the one that attacked you never shuts up about darkness- or, conformists or some other shit. I can't live there anymore!" he exclaimed,  looking ready to rip his hair out of their follicles.  
"That's why I need your help. I've seen you guys doing town service before. You help at the orphanage, right?"

"...Possibly. How do YOU know that?" Brady questioned, stepping slightly closer. He was ready to knock Ivan out cold if he knew too much.

"Because my little sister is there," Ivan explained. He looked down at the floor, seemingly upset.

"...Wait. Aren't you over 18? Couldn't you be assigned as a legal guardian?" Cody asked, and Ivan shook his head.

"Trust me, I've tried that. The court saw my criminal records and decided that I wasn't responsible enough for a child. In all honesty, they're kinda right," he explained. "I can't take care of a child! I have a fear of most of them! That girl deserves more love than I can give her. She'll get better parents someday." Ivan wiped a stray tear from his eye.  
"What I'm trying to say is that I know you can help people. Think you can lend me a hand?"

The leader gave a shaky smile. "De-Definitely! Actually, you aren't the first one to come to me with a problem like that. There's a girl I know that I think you should meet. She can probably help," he explained. Just then, he realized something.  
"Oh, yeah! I never asked your name!"

"It's Ivan," he said. "Ivan McKay. You?"

"...Cody," he said after a bit of hesitation. "but you'll never learn my last name. That's confidential information."

"Sounds good to me," Ivan complied. "So, who is this girl you want me to meet?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips. Cody took Ivan by the hand and walked outside.

"You still have your car, right?"


	2. Chapter 2

I was sitting at home, completely alone as I normally was while waiting for Cody to come home from work. At that time I had my record player on low, playing some progressive rock music while sitting on the couch flipping through messages on my phone. Suddenly, I realised that Cody has sent me a text.

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:36 PM)_

_"Hey, gonna be bringing over someone new. Just thought I'd tell you so you don't freak out"_

**Tara:** _(Sent at 3:36 PM)_

_"Who??? I've told you to stop bringing people here because they scare me"_

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:37 PM)_

_"But I think youll like this one!! I've been chatting with him, and he likes psychedelic rock music!!!"_

**Tara:** _(Sent at 3:37 PM)_

_"oH MY GOD DUDE BRING HIM HERE LIKE RIGHT NOW"_

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:37 PM)_

_"I know! You'll really like him"_

**Tara:** _(Sent at 3:38 PM)_

_"Does he look like Dylan Fuentes???"_

**_Photo attachment_ **

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:38 PM)_

_"..."_

_"Stop sending me photos of hot video game characters, that's the third time this week"_

**Tara:** _(Sent at 3:38 PM)_

_"You will never appreciate Dante and Mercy the way I do"_

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:38 PM)_

_"Prolly not. Anyway we'll be here soon"_

**Tara:** _(Sent at 3:39 PM)_

_"You didn't answer my question tho. Is he cute???"_

**Cody:** _(Sent at 3:39 PM)_

_"Well he isn't ugly"_

That was when I had a plan. I exited my messages and went straight to video chat, dialling Cody's number.

***

Suddenly, Cody felt something vibrate in his pocket. At first unsure of what it was, he pulled it out, quickly realising it was his phone.

"What, did you booty call someone?" Ivan asked, glancing over at Cody's phone before glueing his eyes back on the road.

"...Do you mean butt dial?" Cody asked in response, looking at Ivan with wide eyes as his phone continued to buzz in his hand.

"Don't they mean the same thing?"

"No, they certainly do NOT mean the same thing." Cody's hand was starting to get numb from the vibrating, and he answered the phone.

"...Oh. Hey, Tara," Cody said once the screen displayed the girl's face.

"Sup, my dude?" She replied, and Cody smiled.

"Oh, not much. Glad to see you're actually willing to talk, though! This is the-"

"No, not you," Tara scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I mean the other person with you. Are they driving?"

Cody's smile faded slightly. "Uh... Yeah. But we're gonna stop somewhere to get something to eat. You want anything?"

"I dunno, chicken nuggets or somethin'? I dunno. Wait! Do they have milkshakes??" Tara asked, and Cody nodded. Tara's face lit up with utter joy.

"Milkshakes! Gimme!!" She exclaimed.

"We need to get there first! Jeez. Calm yourself, man," Cody replied. Ivan turned for a second.

"Calm yourself? That's the phrase you're going with?" He asked. Cody shook his head.

"Stop avoiding my questions! I wanna see what this dude looks like!" Tara exclaimed, flailing around her arm that wasn't holding her phone. Cody slightly tilted his phone, facing Ivan. He looked and gave a slight nod, then turned back.

"Whoa, he's got dreads? Nice," Tara pointed out with a wink.

"Thanks. Got 'em when I was 16 and to this day I don't regret it," Ivan said, drumming his fingers on the wheel. Tara smiled.

"Hey! How much longer 'till you get to that restaurant?"

"Like, two seconds," Ivan replied, looking up at the huge building towering overhead. He pulled into the parking lot, stopping in the one closest to the joint.

"Alright, gotta go! Bye!" Cody said cheerfully while waving at the screen before hanging up. He put his phone in his pocket and looked at Ivan. "Well, you ready to do this?"

"Yeah, about that... I can't," Ivan admitted shyly, looking at the pedals beneath his feet.

"What? Why not?" Cody asked, worriedly.

"About... What was it now, 10 years ago? I came here and tried to order something. Point is that this place doesn't like gay people. Maybe they do now, but I sure as hell don't remember anything changing."

"Wait, you're..." Cody started to say before he was cut off.

"Hell yeah I am. What, gonna kick me out or something?" Ivan joked. "Because seeing as how this is my car, I don't think that would work too well unless you wanted to go Grand Theft Auto on my ass."

"What?! No! I'm not kicking you out!" Cody panicked, waving his hands in front of him in denial. "I could go in for you, but I'm not sure how well that would work."

"Are you saying that... Dude, no fuckin' way!" Ivan playfully punched Cody in the shoulder. "Cody, leader of the most feared gang in the province is into dudes?"

"Well... Technically speaking, I'm Pan," Cody explained.

Ivan's laughing stopped as he looked Cody in the eye, cocking his eyebrow. "Wait, are you one of those people who sexually identifies as an inanimate object?"

"What do you- no, I'm not ACTUALLY a pan! I'm Pansexual!" Cody exclaimed, blood rushing to his cheeks.

"...You fuck pans?"

"Oh my god. No! I don't-" Cody hesitated, trying to think of what to say. "I don't... fornicate with pans! Or any other type of cookware, for that matter! It means I like all of the genders."

"All of them? So, like, traps and stuff?" Ivan asked. Slowly, Cody wrapped an arm around Ivan's shoulders and leant super close to him.

"Well, Ivan, it's not a trap if you're trying to get caught."

"Oh... Oh my god..." Ivan shuddered, his face going red as Cody laughed.

"Alright. Anyway, I think this place has a drive thru. Do you think they'll detect our gayness through the speakers?" He asked.

Ivan nodded his head. "Oh, definitely," he said sarcastically, coughing. "Yo, bitches! Imma need two extra large sausages with extra mayo up in this bitch! Yass, Queen! Slay for the gods!" He yelled in a high pitched voice.

Cody was nearly dying of laughter. "Just... turn left...!" He choked out through giggles. Ivan followed said instructions, pulling out of the parking spot and going through drive thru. Once they'd ordered and got the food they wanted, they kept driving onward in the direction of Cody's house.

"Man, that was one trip of self-discovery we just went on!" Cody announced cheerfully.

"Yeah, totally. Hey, is that your place?" Ivan asked as he slowed down. The house was decently sized and seemed to be the only one around in the area, except for a smaller house right next to it with a "For Rent" sign in front. With a white exterior and bright blue roof, the place stuck out like the sorest of thumbs.

"Yeah. It's tacky, but it's quaint," Cody explained with a meek shrug. Ivan pulled into the driveway and parked.

"So... Do we, like, get out now? Or..." Ivan mumbled awkwardly, swaying his feet.

"Yeah, I guess," Cody responded. He opened his car door as Ivan did the same, and walked over to the house door, unlocking it and walking in. Cody instantly recognised the music playing from the living room and knew Tara must be home.

"Yo, T! We're back!" Cody called out, but there was no response. Ivan walked in behind him, also recognising the music.

"So, which one of you is the Rush fan?" He asked, looking around. The halls were filled with Rush posters, and in the centre of it all was a record player which had a vinyl spinning around on it.

"That would be her," Cody informed. "She's kinda... taken over the place."

"Yeah, I can see that," Ivan stated. "What song is this, again?"

All of a sudden, the two heard loud footsteps from a couple rooms away, and suddenly a girl with poofy brown and blonde hair was standing in front of them, wearing a Rush t-shirt and blue yoga pants.

"That would be the the song "Closer to the Heart" from the album A Farewell to Kings, which was released in 1977. This is arguably one of Rush's most popular songs, second only to Tom Sawyer," she explained. "This song is on the album after 2112, which is what really set their music into mainstream popularity. It is also said that the reason this song was so popular was due to the fact that it's so short, making for a good song for those with short attention spans."

Ivan let out a shaky breath. "Jesus, I got tired just LISTENING to that!" He exclaimed in a tired voice. Tara blinked.

"Oh. So this is the person ya brought. Well, hey there! I'm Tara! I can tell we're going to be great friends!" She said, pulling out a kazoo from her pocket and blowing a couple of shaky notes. Ivan just kind of looked at Cody for guidance, but he shrugged as if telling him to just go with it. Once she stopped and put the kazoo back, Tara looked at this new person.

"So you like psychedelic rock, do ya?" She asked.

Ivan nodded his head. "Yeah. My fave band is probably Pink Floyd, though. Super chill."

"Dude!" Tara exclaimed, going behind Ivan and pushing him towards the living room. "You come with me. We're going to talk about all the cool bands and have a great time!"

"Why do I get the feeling we're going to talk about Rush for 90 percent of the time?" Ivan questioned rhetorically.

"Probably because you're right," Tara confirmed, finally getting the two of them to the living room where she stopped pushing. The entire time, Cody was carefully following the two, seeing what they were doing.

"Any other bands you like?" Tara asked, going and plopping down on the couch. She motioned for the two guys to sit next to her, which they did.

"Oh, y'know," Ivan started. "Deep Purple, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, stuff like that. You?"

"Well..." Tara thought aloud. "I'm open to a lot of bands, but I mostly like progressive rock. Yes, SkyCastle, Tool... All pretty good. Hey, Cody! Tell him about the bands you like!" She said, nudging him in the arm.

"I, uh..." he stuttered, trying to keep himself together. "...I like Motley Crüe. And Van Halen. Twisted Sister is neat too, I guess? I don't know." Tara stared at him curiously for a while, noting the bandages on his face.

"Hey, what's with the... that?" She questioned, making wild hand gestures around her own face.

"Oh. I got into a bit of a fight today," Cody explained, "but Ivan patched me up pretty good!" He gave a weak, half-hearted smile as Ivan looked at him.

"...Dude, that's not a "bit of a fight". It looks like someone seriously fucked up your face." Tara cupped Cody's face, looking into his eyes. "We've got this platonic kinda love shit going on. That means I care about you. Now, I want you to tell me what REALLY happened."

Cody made a hard gulp and looked to Ivan for permission. He nodded, making Cody give a long sigh, closing his eyes and resting his head on Tara's hands. "...Some people tried to investigate HQ, and I had to scare them by pretending to attack them. The one I pounced on had a knife, and..." Cody took a minute to regain himself, a tear rolling down his face. "...he cut me. A lot."

Suddenly, Tara's face contorted from one of concern to one of absolute rage. She removed her hands from Cody's head and balled them into fists at her sides. "That piece of shit! I'll fucking kill him! Where is he now?! That asshole is gonna fucking pay!" She stood up, but Cody grabbed her wrist.

"No, it's fine," he said. "Fighting is senseless. Our best option is to stay away for a while until we know he's gone from the area."

"That could work..." Ivan interrupted, "but we have a problem. I shared an apartment with that person, and... all of my stuff is still there. I'll need to go back and get it."

"Are you kidding me?!" Cody exclaimed, putting his hand to his forehead. "Alright. We'll go back tonight and get your stuff, you and I. You still have the key to the place?" He asked. Ivan nodded once again.

"Wait," Tara said, blankly. "I'm coming with you."

"Oh no you're not," Cody insisted. "Those people are dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. I'm kinda like your supervisor now, and I have to ensure that you aren't in danger."

"And I don't want YOU getting hurt!" Tara spat back, shaking her hand from Cody's grip. "What if you and Ivan are held captive there? If we're going to be doomed, at least I'll still have you. Without you, I'd... have no one else to go home to. To care for me. Do you know how depressed I'd be if you wound up dead?!"

Cody let out a shaky sigh, then cleared his throat. "Ok. You can come with us. But on one condition," Cody bargained. "You have to stay outside the door of the apartment. Not the building itself, but just the apartment. That way, if we do get into trouble, you can call the police if they try anything nasty. Deal?" He held out his hand again in offer and Tara took it, giving it a firm shake.

"Deal. Just tell me when we're going, and I'll be on my toes."


	3. Chapter 3

The group ended up leaving around midnight. Ivan was driving them there, as he knew the route best.

"Tara, are you still sure about this?" Cody asked, turning to look at the girl in the back seat. "You can always stay in the car if you want."

"No. I'm sure about this," Tara scowled, gripping the meter stick in her hand tighter. Unlike how she was normally dressed in her Rush t-shirt and yoga pants, she now wore black sweatpants and her black Tool hoodie with the hood flipped up. She also decided to wear white fingerless gloves to keep her hands from getting splintered, a switchblade knife in her pocket for emergencies and dark face paint on her cheeks like a baseball player to hide her face slightly. Just in case that wasn't good enough for hiding her identity, she also brought a black sheep mask, similar to the one made famous by wrestler Bray Wyatt. The rest of them were pretty much silent for the rest of the drive, the only noise being Ivan's 13th Floor Elevators CD which was playing in the car. After about ten minutes of driving, Ivan pulled up in front of a video rental store.

"...Ivan, why are we here?" Cody asked nervously, but Ivan was just looking out the window at the place.

"Yeah, I know it just looks like a store, but there's two apartments on the second floor. The store owner makes us pay rent to him. It's a pretty nice place, mostly because the store closes early and there's no one else in the other apartment," he explained.

"Do we just... go in, then?" Cody questioned.

"Yeah, but try to be quiet. Wouldn't want to wake anyone up, especially Darby," Ivan instructed.

Tara looked at him curiously. "Who?"

"The one that attacked Cody," Ivan said, and Tara's face went right back to one of anger. She put on the mask and flipped her hood back up, ready for anything that might come her way.

"Now remember, whatever you do, don't come in unless we signal you. If we call for help, that's the only time you should barge in," Ivan carefully explained, now turned to look at Tara. "You could get hurt if you follow us. Chances are nothing will happen, but you should still be prepared. I've only known you for a day, but I don't think that you deserve what those people can do to you. Understand?" Normally Ivan's voice was slow and had a slight slur to it, but it was now stern and very well executed. Tara gave a thumbs up, not being sure how else to respond, and they all got out of the car, turning off the headlights.

"All my stuff is packed already. All we need to do is grab my bags and we'll be set," Ivan whispered.

"Why is your stuff packed?" Cody whispered back as he began to climb the stairs to the 2nd floor.

"I was planning to leave today. The only reason I went to your HQ was to ask for help to find me a new place. I thought I'd be able to bring my bags with me, but-" Ivan cut himself off. "Careful, that next step is squeaky," he warned as he followed closely behind Cody, watching as he skipped the step. Once they made it to the top, Ivan slowly opened the door to the hallway for the two apartments and turned to door 1. He fumbled for the key and unlocked the door, slowly opening it as he and Cody entered while Tara waited outside the door as told.

Ivan led Cody to his room and opened the door, gathering the bags in their arms. They were both faced away from the door, so they hadn't noticed when someone came up behind Cody and held a rag to his mouth.

"Wha- MRRMMMPHH!!" Cody exclaimed, thrashing his legs around as he felt himself losing consciousness. He wasn't entirely sure if Ivan heard him or not, but he prayed that he had. He was desperately attempting to get the cloth away from his face, but whoever was holding him had a rather strong grip. Cody's vision swam, the dark room becoming a mix of blues and blacks as he passed out.

"Cody? What are you-" Ivan asked, turning around. The sight of his friend caught his eye, and he gasped. "CODY!!" he exclaimed, crawling over to him and holding him in his arms. Slowly, Ivan gazed up at the shadowy figure above him. "...What do you want from me?"

"Well, nothing in particular, really..." the figure said, stepping forward. "All I need is to make sure we don't have any weeds growing here."

"The fuck does that mean?" Ivan questioned with an almost annoyed look on his face. He scowled, and the figure chuckled.

"What it means isn't truly important..." they started, walking into the light of the window, "but hey, it sounds emo, doesn't it?"

"Darby?!" Ivan exclaimed, picking up Cody's unconscious body as he stood up, taking a step back. "What are you doing? Hating me was one thing, but trying to knock out me and my friend? Not cool." He stepped back a little more, mostly trying to keep Cody away. Darby almost always had a knife on him, and Ivan wasn't going to let him use it on his friend.

"What's the matter, Ivan? Scared I'm going to hurt your bitch or something?" Darby spat. Confirming Ivan's theory, he did in fact pull a knife out of his back pocket. Ivan looked down at the boy in his arms.

"I wouldn't call him my... Bitch..." he admitted, trying to look braver than he truly was. "Anyway, point is, I was gone for seven fucking hours! What, you just assumed control, not thinking I'd come back?" Darby had a grin of utter joy on his face.

"Not really, but that's what I was hoping. See, I'm second oldest of the group, and... Well, I'll need to make sure I stay on the throne." He jolted forward suddenly, holding the knife above his head. "Now, to take care of you. But which mouse should be slaughtered first? The runaway? Maybe the runt, perhaps? After all, the runaway seems to care an awful lot for this runt. There's no room for mice in a pack of rats, Ivan."

Ivan stood his ground, though his legs trembled. All he wanted to do was grab Cody and his bags and run, but he knew his body couldn't perform the action. The only thing working at the moment we're his vocal cords.

"HELP!!" He screamed suddenly, and Darby chuckled.

"Are you kidding me? There's no one around for a while. No one will-" he stopped himself when he heard someone walk up behind him. Slowly, he turned around.

"Ah, nice costume," Darby said smoothly, making eye contact with the person. Tara still had her mask on, hopefully hiding her face.

"Of course, it certainly doesn't hide your identity that well. Does it, Ter-?"

Before Darby could finish his sentence, Tara lashed out and hit him with the meter stick. Her eyes widened, breath quickening and tears pricking her eyes. "W-Where did you learn that name?!" She spat. Darby lowered his knife, pacing around Tara.

"Nowhere, really. I am pretty good friends with Mrs Rosemary, however. Christ, she downright fucking despised you, didn't she?" He jeered, continuing to pace. Tara tried her hardest to follow his movements, keeping a grip on the meter stick in her hand. If she weren't wearing gloves, her hands would surely splinter.

"It isn't my fault she had no idea how to teach!" She said back, attempting not to break down and cry. "She locked me in her room for six months! Do you have any idea what that's like?! Six months of constant work, only to go home and be yelled at by my parents. That's why... I ran away," Tara admitted, her voice growing timider.

"I couldn't stand the torment! I had to do something, I... had to break..." she suddenly collapsed to her knees, and Darby went over to her and grabbed the meter stick.

"Now, why is it you have this again?" He asked, holding it by one end up in the air, ready to strike down with it. There was no answer.

"Answer me, bitch!" He exclaimed, ripping off the mask and slapping Tara across the face with the large ruler, sending her sprawling to the floor.

"Oh, come on! That was an easy question! Even an idiot like you can figure it out, can't you?!" He brought the meter stick down again, this time on her side. Tara was crying out for Darby to stop, but the attempts were pointless. He continued to lay down hit upon hit on Tara's body, making sure to not leave a spot untouched.

Suddenly, Ivan felt Cody stir in his arms, and he woke up groggily. "Oh my god, what happened?" He said, but then heard a loud scream. He turned to look at the scene before him, and he jumped out of Ivan's arms and effortlessly pinned Darby to the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Cody exclaimed, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"The fuck does it look like I'm doing?" Darby spat back. Suddenly, Cody punched him directly in the nose.

"I don't have time for your shit!" He yelled. Blood began dripping down Darby's face. However, despite this, he still managed to crack another shit-eating grin.

"Look at that. I had no idea you could actually defend yourself! Those bandages certainly don't help your case." He said. Then, Darby did something that not even Ivan saw coming.

He spat in Cody's face.

Cody had a look of disbelief, the saliva dripping down the bridge of his nose and his chin. He sat there in stunned silence, not sure how to respond. After coming back to reality, he roughly grabbed Darby by the hair and pulled as he stood up.

"Ivan, I need to know where your bathroom is." Now, even Ivan was frightened of Cody's behaviour.

"...First do-door, to the left!" Ivan said in a panic, pointing in the direction he'd said. Cody stomped towards it, throwing open the door and flipping up the toilet lid.

"Wait! What are you going to do?!" Darby panicked. Cody shoved Darby's head into the toilet and flushed, nearly drowning him. Darby flailed and struggled, trying to break free of Cody's grasp. Ivan had slowly made his way to the room to watch the quarrel, but it hadn't lasted long. Cody only went until Darby fainted, throwing him aside.

"Grab your things, I'll grab Tara. We're going," Cody ordered blankly, going back to the living room and picking up Tara in his arms as he walked out the door. Ivan did as instructed, getting his bags and Tara's mask and meter stick on the way out.

When they got back to the car, Ivan threw his bags in the trunk and went back to the driver's seat. However, Cody was now sat in the back seat, still holding the girl in his arms.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Ivan questioned as he buckled in and started the car.

"I don't know, honestly. After a while, yes, but for now? Probably not. My god, she's covered in bruises..." Cody noticed. Ivan gave a sigh, looking down at his feet.

"...Look, I'm sorry I didn't help. I was paralysed by fear, I couldn't-"

"Yeah, I know. It's just that... hey, am I allowed to tell him what happened?" Cody asked, looking at Tara. She gave a slight nod, then turned over, hiding her face.

Cody cleared his throat. "Well, a few months ago, Tara here was still in school. She had a rather abusive teacher that would hit her with that meter stick," he explained, gesturing towards the plank of wood.

"That same one?" Ivan asked. Cody nodded and continued.

"From what she's told me, the reason her teacher did it was because she was failing. Instead of fixing her learning curve, the teacher locked her away in detention for every recess for almost half the year," he explained. "I guess eventually she got a call home, and her parents yelled at her. After that, she got fed up and ran away. I found her half dead on the sidewalk while I was driving alone, and she told me the same story I'm telling you."

Ivan's eyes were wide. "Oh my god, that's awful!" He exclaimed. He started to drive and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Yeah, that's kinda why..." Cody checked to make sure she was asleep. "That's kinda why I've taken on the role as her guardian. She only left home at 16 and I figured she needed someone to take the role as a parent. Besides, I've... always wanted someone to look after..." He looked down at the floor, tears pricking his eyes. "I need to make sure at least one person is getting the love they deserve. If I could only have the money to take in every child from the orphanage, I would. But I don't. Hell, even one is a bit more than I can handle," Cody said. "But if she's happy, I'm happy."

Ivan was almost in disbelief. "Wow, that's... actually really incredible. Good job, man. That's some deep shit."

Cody gave a halfhearted chuckle. "Yeah, I guess it kinda is."


	4. Chapter 4

When Cody woke up, he found himself sitting in a dark room. He couldn't move, as though he was strapped to the chair he was in.

"Hey! Where am I!?" He called, and Cody saw a match being lit and placed on a candle, brightening up the room.

"Oh, hi. You're here too?" A familiar voice asked, putting out the match. Cody gasped quickly.

"Ivan?!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!" Ivan chuckled, walking over to him.

"Honestly, I don't know either. Point is, I... I can't..." He stuttered, panting heavily.

"What's wrong?" Cody asked. He still tried to stand up, but his lower body wouldn't perform the action. "Was someone chasing you? Is that why you're sweating?"

Ivan wiped his forehead. "No, I'm just really, REALLY stoned right now. Yeah?" He was still trying to collect himself as he spoke. "The problem is that I've never been so high before. I get... urges." He walked right in front of Cody and climbed into his lap.

Cody was confused. "Wait, what are you--"

"Remember earlier how I told you I was a masochist?" Ivan asked. Cody nodded his head. "I need you to hurt me like you did last time. Do you think you can do that?"

"I can try, but won't you get... y'know, hurt?" Cody questioned.

Ivan grabbed Cody's shoulders. "That's the thing. I WANT it to hurt. I WANT to feel this in the morning."

Cody was panicking slightly due to Ivan's commands. "...Alright, I'll try..." He started to lift Ivan's shirt but noticed that the cigarette burns weren't there. "Wait, what happened to your stomach?" He asked. Ivan looked down, noticing the absence of the wounds.

"Oh yeah, weird. Your bandages aren't on your face, either." Once Ivan pointed this out, Cody felt his face. Well, tried to, anyway. He put his hand to his face and couldn't feel a thing.

He pondered this for a moment. "No bandages, no wounds, and I can't feel my face... This is a dream! You aren't real!" Cody tried to calm himself down. He knew that he had the ability to lucid dream, but it wouldn't work if he got flustered.

"Yeah. Thought you'd figure that out sooner, honestly," Ivan pointed out. "So... now what are you gonna do? Just wake up?"

"No, I don't think so. I read somewhere that when I lucid dream about certain things, I'm supposed to do something important in them," Cody explained. "Maybe since you're here, I could..." He thought aloud, not really sure what to do.

"Well... I mean, are you having some troubles?" Ivan asked. "Depressed? Recent break up? Other love issues?"

"I guess I'm having love issues..." Cody admitted. "I mean, you aren't real, so if I told you, then you wouldn't actually know in real life."

Ivan shook his head. "Dude, you're giving me a dream headache. Explain again?"

"It isn't important." Cody grabbed Ivan's hands. "I just... I love you, Ivan. The real you, anyway. But the problem is that I'm not sure why. I mean, I just met you a couple of days ago. Having any interest is... wrong, isn't it?"

"Well, if not for the fact that I'm a figment of your imagination, I would be flattered. What do you see in me, anyhow?" Ivan inquired.

"I dunno, you're... nice to me, and you helped me when I was attacked, you put yourself before me, you..." Cody hesitated. "look... nice..."

Ivan smirked. "Thank you, I don't try." He took off his leather jacket, throwing it to the side. "I don't know if it's the candle, but it's getting pretty hot in here. Maybe I can let you get away with those things you said if you'll pay me back. Now, lie back and tell me EVERYTHING."

***

Cody shot up in bed, shocked at what he'd just witnessed. Why the hell would he dream something like that? He was breathing heavily, not really sure what to make of the situation. It was all so wrong, so sinful...

Suddenly, there was a knock at Cody's door. "Yo, Code-ster? You doin' alright in there?" A feminine voice asked, quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Come in if you want," Cody replied, and the door opened, Tara walking inside.

"I think you were having a nightmare or something. You were, like, moaning in your sleep. It was weird." Cody put his head in his hands, making an embarrassed groan. Tara closed the door, went over and sat with Cody on the bed.

"It's alright! Why don't you tell me what happened?" She offered, and Cody began explaining his dream in detail, up until the end.

"...and then I... we..." He stuttered, not sure if he should finish his story.

"I get it," Tara empathised. "I've had dreams like that too. But hey! At least the person you like actually exists!" She joked.

Cody still seemed uneasy. "Sure, but I just met him. Why am I feeling this way already?"

"Dude, I have no fuckin' clue," Tara admitted, "but the point is that you love him. You should ask him out."

Cody's face was red as a cherry. "Are you kidding me?! I can't do that!" he exclaimed, momentarily forgetting he was supposed to be quiet. He quickly lowered his volume. "What if he rejects me? I can't live with that misery, especially since we live with him now."

Tara thought for a moment, then reached for the back of her neck, undoing a necklace of sorts and handing it to Cody. The necklace was made of a golden twine with large wooden beads on it. In the centre of it all was a blue and orange medallion in the shape of the yin-yang sign. Cody noticed that when he rubbed his thumb over the medallion, not only was it incredibly smooth, but it also gave off a strange, alluring glow. "Remember how I go to those Satanist meetings sometimes?" Cody nodded.

"Well, this is one of the things that was given to me. Each of the members got a necklace like this, and this one represents lust," Tara explained.

"And... that's going to make sure he doesn't hate me?" Cody inquired.

Tara scoffed in response to this. "Of course not! This is tailored to MY soul. It wouldn't work on you, silly!" She took back the necklace and snapped it around her neck, hiding it under her shirt. "What I'm trying to say is that while I may have this, you have much better items, those being your own skills. Instead of full on popping the question, chat with Ivan a bit. Actually get to know each other," Tara explained, moving her hands to convey what she was saying.

She got up and walked to the door, but turned around before she opened it. "I'll be out back of the tool shed. I'm working on a little project. Don't bother me, alright?" A while back when Tara first moved in, she had built a shed for herself in the yard. Cody wasn't sure where it came from, but it didn't bother him. The only problem was that she was in there an awful lot...

She walked out and closed the door behind herself while Cody sat in bed, he was taking a minute to process what he had just been told. Was Tara correct in the idea that he had skills? Cody wasn't really sure, but his thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone walk down the hall. He finally got out of bed and trudged into the living room, where Ivan was seated on the couch, similar to the way he was the day before. Cody plopped down on the couch next to him and smiled.

"Uh... hey there," Ivan stuttered, slowly turning to look at whoever had sat next to him. Cody mustered up the pride to give him a smile, and Ivan looked away again. It was only then that Cody noticed the bowl of cereal in Ivan's hands, and that he was trying to eat it as quickly as possible.

"So... why do you have a Russian name if you're not Russian?" Cody asked. He realised what he said, and quickly looked down at his feet.  _"Smooth, Cody. Real smooth,"_ he thought to himself.

Ivan sat up. "I don't know. I think my parents expected me to be some kind of badass soldier blowing up enemy bases and shit. Look how well that turned out, right?" He joked, wrapping an arm around Cody's shoulders. He looked away, trying to hide the fact that he was blushing.

"I mean... I think you're pretty cool!" Cody pointed out. Although he didn't do it physically, he was mentally yelling at himself. He sounded like a complete suck up! How could he be acting that way around the one person it mattered to?

Ivan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. A stoner like me is just the coolest fuckin' guy around, isn't he, bud?" He said sarcastically, pulling out his phone and flipping through his messages. "I think I should be the one to start a conversation. Are you doing anything today?" He asked.

Cody's eyes widened. "Oh, crap!" He exclaimed, getting up and running for the bathroom. Ivan followed, not sure of Cody's sudden outburst.

"What's the matter?" He questioned. Cody walked up to the mirror, looking at his reflection.

"I have another meeting today, but..." Cody paused. "I can't go there with these bandages on my face! I'll look pathetic!" He reached for the side of a bandage and weakly tugged, wincing at the feeling of the bandage pulling his skin.

"Here, let me help," Ivan offered. He put down his bowl of cereal and his phone, walking up to Cody and turning him around to face himself. He grabbed the side of the bandage Cody was previously holding, looking him in the eyes. "I'm going to count to three, and then I'm going to pull this off. I should warn you though, it's going to hurt. Like, a lot. Do you trust me?"

Cody meekly hummed "mmhmm" under his breath and Ivan held on tighter to the bandage. "Alright. One... two..."

"GAHH-!!" Cody screamed suddenly, stumbling backwards. It had felt as though every piece of skin was ripped from his face in that certain area and the fact that the scar hadn't completely healed wasn't helping the pain. "Why didn't you say three?!"

"Because!" Ivan exclaimed. "If you say three when you count down, you'll expect what's coming and flinch. That makes it hurt more!"

Cody wiped away the tear that managed to spill from his eye. "Fine. Do the next two and get it over with." Ivan grabbed the bandage on the bridge of Cody's nose.

"One... two..." He ripped it clean off, Cody yelping in pain, though not as loudly as last time. He went to touch where the bandage had been pulled from his face but flinched as the wound still stung.

"Sorry. Just one more and we're good," Ivan explained. He grabbed the last bandage and ripped it off, not even bothering to count down. He knew Cody was in an immense amount of pain and didn't want to prolong his agony.

"...Thanks," Cody hesitated. "Now, I need to get changed, so can you... leave? For a couple of minutes?" Ivan smirked, walking closer and putting a hand under Cody's chin.

"Aw, c'mon..." He whined, obviously not serious. "No need to hide around me. All good friends have seen each other naked at least once, right?"

Cody's face went pale with embarrassment, and his eyes went wide. "N-no, I don't think that's the case..." Ivan smiled wider, brushing Cody's bangs out of his face with his fingers before turning around and standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, I should leave you alone. Besides, I still need to get changed." Cody looked at him curiously. He knew that Ivan wasn't lazy per say, but he certainly didn't seem like the type to get dressed when he wasn't going anywhere.

"Where are you going...?" He asked slowly in an almost whisper, feeling like he was intruding on Ivan's privacy. Ivan still stood not facing him, but he turned his head so he was looking over his shoulder at Cody.

"With you of course," he stated, playfully. "What? Gonna stop me?" Ivan raised his eyebrows, making Cody focus all of his attention on him. He had thought he'd been the one acting strange, but Ivan seemed... different. Not that Cody had known him long enough to be certain this wasn't average for him, but it still struck him as odd.

"You can come with me, sure. Just didn't think that was your type of party. Now, it would REALLY be doing me a solid if you let me get changed," Cody explained. Ivan shut the door to the bathroom and went to his bedroom, changing into his normal attire of his leather jacket, Pink Floyd shirt and jogging pants. He walked back to the bedroom where Cody was wearing a completely leather outfit, aside from the bandana wrapped around his forehead. His hair was slicked back with hair grease, and his eyes looked much darker. Ivan assumed he was wearing tremendous amounts of eyeliner.

"Wow. THAT was fast," he admired, looking Cody up and down, who blushed. He quickly shook his head and flashed a confident smile.

"I'm aware. I just get faster every time I go through my routine," he explained. Cody walked over to the kitchen table where a pen & note pad was, jotting something down and placing it back on its place on the table. Ivan read what was written.

_To Tara,_

_I have another meeting today. Took Ivan with me. Don't try cooking anything while we're gone!_

_-Cody_

"Why the note?" Ivan inquired, and Cody shrugged.

"Just want her to know where we are. I don't want her going into a panic attack if she thinks we were kidnapped or something," he told. Ivan accepted this answer, following Cody outside the front door and to a shed. This was different from Tara's shed and was actually more like a garage. Cody lead Ivan inside, where a glorious motorcycle complete with gear for two people was stored. Ivan stared in awe at the machinery, while Cody pulled the motorcycle out of the shed and handed a helmet to him.

"Yeah, most people stare like that," Cody told, putting the helmet on his head. It was only when he turned around that Ivan noticed the Heaven's Outcasts insignia on the back of his leather vest. He had seen it before, but something looked off. Sure, the heart with wings was still in the centre, but the border looked larger than he remembered.

"Did you change your logo?" Ivan asked, and Cody turned around to answer him.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, the logo. Every generation of leaders gets to add something to it as long as they don't change the original design too much. This chevron pattern around the outside is my inclusion," He explained, pointing to the symbol. "We change leaders every ten years, so we make changes frequently."

Ivan looked and counted the number of rings around the main design. Including the heart with wings, there were 5 designs in total. "Wait, you guys have been around for 50 years?!"

"It's more like 55..." Cody huffed, dejectedly. "I started when I was 20, and I'm 25 now. It's honestly kinda sad to remember that my time is half up..." He shook his head, a smile returning to his face. "Never mind that! Can't be sad right now. Too many important things to do. Have you got your helmet on yet?"

Ivan fumbled with the clasp until he heard it click, then gave Cody a thumbs up. "Alright, good. Now, I'm gonna get on this thing and you're gonna sit behind me. Sound good?" Cody asked and Ivan nodded his head.

"I should warn you, we go pretty fast..." Cody warned. "You may want to get a tight grip on me." He sat on the motorcycle, revving up the engine. Ivan rolled his eyes and sat behind him reluctantly, putting his hands on Cody's shoulders. Once they pulled out of the driveway and hit the main road, Ivan was clinging onto the driver for dear life.

"I told you we go fast!" Cody yelled over the sound of the vehicle soaring down the dirt road. Due to the fact that there were laws in place that enforced motorcycles to go slower than other vehicles because of the amount of dust they kicked up, they weren't even going nearly as fast as they could've. "Just wait until we get into town! We'll be FLYING by then!"

Ivan pupils shrunk, wrapping his arms around Cody's abdomen and shifting his body closer. "Can we maybe NOT go that fast?!" he asked, a slight shakiness to his voice. Cody grinned.

"What kinda gang leader goes slow on a motorbike?!" he questioned rhetorically as he drove into town, hitting the gas. He felt Ivan trembling on his back, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to go a  _little_ slower. Luckily the HQ was on the edge of town and they didn't have to drive far before Cody pulled up in front of the place.

"Alright, we're here..." he sighed, looking up at the average sized building that stood before him.

Ivan noticed his shift in tone. "Hey man, you alright? You're actin' funny." Cody turned to look at him.

"...When we get in there, I feel like I should warn you that I'll have to put on a fake personality for my peers. They look up to me as a strong leader, and I wouldn't want to let them down thinkin' I'm some kinda... I dunno, but anything but tuff." he sighed, then got off the motorbike, gesturing for Ivan to do the same. "You should go ahead in, I'm going to park my bike out back. If anyone asks, tell them Rosebud sent ya." He went behind the building as he said, the same way Ivan, Darby, Wesley and Andre had gotten in before. This time Ivan decided to go in through the front door, and he knocked on the solid oak door once he got to it. A scrawny looking boy answered the door, whom Ivan remembered as Brady. He had short, scruffy black hair, skin so white he practically looked like a vampire and brown eyes that seemed to be tinted scarlet. Of course, Ivan didn't get a good look before he was rapidly pulled into the building.

Brady held a butterfly knife to Ivan's jugular as two of the more muscular goons stood beside the scene. "Who sent you?!" Brady barked, pressing the knife closer. Ivan's mind raced, quickly trying to remember Cody's cover name.

"R-Rosebud! Rosebud sent me!" he suddenly remembered, causing one of the goons to gasp.

"Hey! That's the le--" he was silenced when Brady reached over and smacked him across the face.

"I know that, Dumbass!" he snapped. He turned his attention back to his captive. "Now, how am I supposed to know that you didn't just guess that name? Maybe you forced it out of our dear leader, perhaps? I wouldn't want to have anyone else knowing the location of our HQ, anyway..." Just as Brady was about to slice Ivan's throat, someone called from the hallway.

"Brady!" they shouted, walking closer. Brady immediately put the knife down and sunk to one knee, turning around to see Cody glaring over him.

"I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you this..." Cody started. "You are not to threaten anyone who comes through the door. Hell, you tried to kill the mailman last week and damn near got our cover blown! If someone is suspicious, you bring them to me. Understood?" He placed his foot on Brady's back, making him sink to his hands and knees. Ivan watched in awe, amazed at the amount of control Cody had over his followers. While he knew it was merely an act, there was something rather endearing about it.

Brady looked down at the floor. "Yes! W-Won't happen again, Cody. Won't happen again." Cody removed the pressure from his back, allowing Brady to stand. He was unable to meet Cody's eyes and simply walked behind him. The rest of the gang went to see the commotion.

"Now, if I may address you all for a moment..." Cody wrapped an arm around Ivan's shoulders. "This is Ivan. You are all to treat him as one of your own, possibly of a higher level than yourselves. Is that well and good?" he asked. The gang members chatted amongst themselves and nodded, but Brady spoke up.

"Cody, I'm of the highest level here, only below yourself!" he whined. "You can't possibly be serious, can you?"

"Brady, you are not the one who makes decisions. The only reason you are of the worth you are is due to the fact that you've been a part of the gang a slightly shorter time than myself. Now, you wouldn't want me to... demote you to a lower rank, yes?" Cody walked over and placed a hand under his chin, and Brady seemed to stumble, still not able to meet Cody's eyes.

"No, sir. I understand," he said in an almost whimper. Cody let go and began to address the group.

"I'm going to accustom Ivan to the gang. In the meantime, go about your daily routines." He grabbed Ivan by the hand and lead him upstairs to the second floor where there was a bedroom. The two walked inside shutting the door behind them, and Cody plopped down on the bed, sighing.

"Wow, man, the shit you were doing back there was pretty rad," Ivan admired, sitting next to him. "You have an interesting way of commanding your peers. I like it."

"Heh, thanks," Cody gave in with a half-hearted chuckle. "It's just my job, I suppose. Most of our past leaders weren't very... organised. I wanted to go about my leadership as more like the boss of a company than a harsh dictator. Make sense?"

"Yeah, I suppose..." Ivan said. Now that he had a moment to relax, he began to take in his surroundings. Practically everything in the room was an off-white colour, which Ivan wasn't sure was due to ageing or natural colour. In the centre of the room was the shabby bed they were sitting on, a closet to the left of the room surely filled with more leather outfits and a bedside dresser. Ivan looked at the dresser curiously.

"Hey, what's in here?" he asked, leaning over to open the drawer. Cody shot up in bed with a look of worry.

"W-Wait! That's personal stuff!" he panicked, trying to restrict Ivan's arms. Ivan broke free, laughing to himself as he silently wondered what was contained within the dresser. When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a forest green hoodie. Once he picked it up, he noticed that the back had the words "Heaven's top outcast" embroidered in small, fancy print, hidden under the hood if it was folded down. Ivan turned it over in his hands several times, eyes wide with envy.

"Whoa..." he whispered in awe. "This is a nice hoodie." Cody also looked, seeing the excitement in Ivan's eyes. He'd never seen him look at anything that way before, knowing he must have really liked it.

Cody sighed before answering. "You can have it if you want. I'm surely never wearing it again."

Ivan made eye contact with him, then wrapped his arms around Cody's slightly muscular body. "Really?! Dude, you're the best!" He jumped off the bed and took his leather jacket off, putting on the hoodie and looking at himself like a child wearing their father's clothes. Cody watched, giggling at Ivan's sudden change in personality from cool and nonchalant to excited and giddy.

"Well, I've gotta pay you back for this, right?" Ivan questioned in concern, and Cody shrugged.

"No, it's fine. Keep it! It's... a gift. From me." Suddenly, Ivan sat down on the bed and put his leather jacket on the man beside him.

"You-- You're giving me your jacket?" Cody asked in shock. "But you still wear this! It's like your prized possession!" Ivan chuckled, placing his hands on Cody's shoulders.

"I'm not gonna wear it anymore if I have this. Besides, it didn't go with my stoner aesthetic, anyway."  Cody suddenly understood why Ivan had gotten so giddy about receiving clothes. He thanked him graciously, curling himself into a ball on the bed and smiling.

"Jeez, we aren't even dating yet and we're already taking each other's clothes!"

Cody's face went red, realising he'd actually said what he was thinking. Ivan turned to him, confused. "Wait, are... do you... Cody, do you have a crush on me?"

Cody swallowed any sense of dignity he had, basically saying 'screw it' and grabbing Ivan by the forearms and looking into his eyes. "...Yes. Yes, I do, Ivan! I don't know why, seeing as how literally just met like a day or two ago and it may just have to do with the fact that I literally have no one else I could ever date, but yes. I love you, Ivan!" Ivan looked back at him intently, then smirked.

"Hey, Code-ster. Do you know what they call it when your crush loves you back?" he asked. Cody's face flushed of any colour and his pupils shrunk.

"No, I don't think so..." he mumbled. "Imagination, maybe?" all of a sudden, their lips smashed together, causing Cody to gasp in shock, pulling away suddenly.

"I don't understand... Why are we like this? We just met! We shouldn't feel this way yet!" he exclaimed.

"I dunno, love is weird," Ivan explained. "Sometimes you just kinda like a person sometimes. You can't really control it." He leant in and cupped Cody's face, closing his eyes and panting heavily. "And as for us-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. Ivan groaned, looking over. "What now?!" he snapped.

"I only take orders from the leader, Ivan," the weak voice of Brady spoke from outside the door.

"Well, I'm with your leader, and he says you can fuckin' wait!" Ivan connected his lips with Cody's once again, enjoying hearing his soft moans. Another set of knocks came, this time more rapidly.

"Cody, sir, it's a code black!" Brady exclaimed. Cody quickly pulled away and jumped out of the bed, rushing to the door and opening it.

"Alright, what's the issue?" he questioned.

Brady seemed frightened. "There's a suspicious person outside of the building. The one with the hoodie that was on TV?"


	5. Chapter 5

When Cody woke up, he found himself sitting in a dark room. He couldn't move, as though he was strapped to the chair he was in.

"Hey! Where am I!?" He called, and Cody saw a match being lit and placed on a candle, brightening up the room.

"Oh, hi. You're here too?" A familiar voice asked, putting out the match. Cody gasped quickly.

"Ivan?!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!" Ivan chuckled, walking over to him.

"Honestly, I don't know either. Point is, I... I can't..." He stuttered, panting heavily.

"What's wrong?" Cody asked. He still tried to stand up, but his lower body wouldn't perform the action. "Was someone chasing you? Is that why you're sweating?"

Ivan wiped his forehead. "No, I'm just really, REALLY stoned right now. Yeah?" He was still trying to collect himself as he spoke. "The problem is that I've never been so high before. I get... urges." He walked right in front of Cody and climbed into his lap.

Cody was confused. "Wait, what are you--"

"Remember earlier how I told you I was a masochist?" Ivan asked. Cody nodded his head. "I need you to hurt me like you did last time. Do you think you can do that?"

"I can try, but won't you get... y'know, hurt?" Cody questioned.

Ivan grabbed Cody's shoulders. "That's the thing. I WANT it to hurt. I WANT to feel this in the morning."

Cody was panicking slightly due to Ivan's commands. "...Alright, I'll try..." He started to lift Ivan's shirt but noticed that the cigarette burns weren't there. "Wait, what happened to your stomach?" He asked. Ivan looked down, noticing the absence of the wounds.

"Oh yeah, weird. Your bandages aren't on your face, either." Once Ivan pointed this out, Cody felt his face. Well, tried to, anyway. He put his hand to his face and couldn't feel a thing.

He pondered this for a moment. "No bandages, no wounds, and I can't feel my face... This is a dream! You aren't real!" Cody tried to calm himself down. He knew that he had the ability to lucid dream, but it wouldn't work if he got flustered.

"Yeah. Thought you'd figure that out sooner, honestly," Ivan pointed out. "So... now what are you gonna do? Just wake up?"

"No, I don't think so. I read somewhere that when I lucid dream about certain things, I'm supposed to do something important in them," Cody explained. "Maybe since you're here, I could..." He thought aloud, not really sure what to do.

"Well... I mean, are you having some troubles?" Ivan asked. "Depressed? Recent break up? Other love issues?"

"I guess I'm having love issues..." Cody admitted. "I mean, you aren't real, so if I told you, then you wouldn't actually know in real life."

Ivan shook his head. "Dude, you're giving me a dream headache. Explain again?"

"It isn't important." Cody grabbed Ivan's hands. "I just... I love you, Ivan. The real you, anyway. But the problem is that I'm not sure why. I mean, I just met you a couple of days ago. Having any interest is... wrong, isn't it?"

"Well, if not for the fact that I'm a figment of your imagination, I would be flattered. What do you see in me, anyhow?" Ivan inquired.

"I dunno, you're... nice to me, and you helped me when I was attacked, you put yourself before me, you..." Cody hesitated. "look... nice..."

Ivan smirked. "Thank you, I don't try." He took off his leather jacket, throwing it to the side. "I don't know if it's the candle, but it's getting pretty hot in here. Maybe I can let you get away with those things you said if you'll pay me back. Now, lie back and tell me EVERYTHING."

***

Cody shot up in bed, shocked at what he'd just witnessed. Why the hell would he dream something like that? He was breathing heavily, not really sure what to make of the situation. It was all so wrong, so sinful...

Suddenly, there was a knock at Cody's door. "Yo, Code-ster? You doin' alright in there?" A feminine voice asked, quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Come in if you want," Cody replied, and the door opened, Tara walking inside.

"I think you were having a nightmare or something. You were, like, moaning in your sleep. It was weird." Cody put his head in his hands, making an embarrassed groan. Tara closed the door, went over and sat with Cody on the bed.

"It's alright! Why don't you tell me what happened?" She offered, and Cody began explaining his dream in detail, up until the end.

"...and then I... we..." He stuttered, not sure if he should finish his story.

"I get it," Tara empathised. "I've had dreams like that too. But hey! At least the person you like actually exists!" She joked.

Cody still seemed uneasy. "Sure, but I just met him. Why am I feeling this way already?"

"Dude, I have no fuckin' clue," Tara admitted, "but the point is that you love him. You should ask him out."

Cody's face was red as a cherry. "Are you kidding me?! I can't do that!" he exclaimed, momentarily forgetting he was supposed to be quiet. He quickly lowered his volume. "What if he rejects me? I can't live with that misery, especially since we live with him now."

Tara thought for a moment, then reached for the back of her neck, undoing a necklace of sorts and handing it to Cody. The necklace was made of a golden twine with large wooden beads on it. In the centre of it all was a blue and orange medallion in the shape of the yin-yang sign. Cody noticed that when he rubbed his thumb over the medallion, not only was it incredibly smooth, but it also gave off a strange, alluring glow. "Remember how I go to those Satanist meetings sometimes?" Cody nodded.

"Well, this is one of the things that was given to me. Each of the members got a necklace like this, and this one represents lust," Tara explained.

"And... that's going to make sure he doesn't hate me?" Cody inquired.

Tara scoffed in response to this. "Of course not! This is tailored to MY soul. It wouldn't work on you, silly!" She took back the necklace and snapped it around her neck, hiding it under her shirt. "What I'm trying to say is that while I may have this, you have much better items, those being your own skills. Instead of full on popping the question, chat with Ivan a bit. Actually get to know each other," Tara explained, moving her hands to convey what she was saying.

She got up and walked to the door, but turned around before she opened it. "I'll be out back of the tool shed. I'm working on a little project. Don't bother me, alright?" A while back when Tara first moved in, she had built a shed for herself in the yard. Cody wasn't sure where it came from, but it didn't bother him. The only problem was that she was in there an awful lot...

She walked out and closed the door behind herself while Cody sat in bed, he was taking a minute to process what he had just been told. Was Tara correct in the idea that he had skills? Cody wasn't really sure, but his thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone walk down the hall. He finally got out of bed and trudged into the living room, where Ivan was seated on the couch, similar to the way he was the day before. Cody plopped down on the couch next to him and smiled.

"Uh... hey there," Ivan stuttered, slowly turning to look at whoever had sat next to him. Cody mustered up the pride to give him a smile, and Ivan looked away again. It was only then that Cody noticed the bowl of cereal in Ivan's hands, and that he was trying to eat it as quickly as possible.

"So... why do you have a Russian name if you're not Russian?" Cody asked. He realised what he said, and quickly looked down at his feet.  _"Smooth, Cody. Real smooth,"_ he thought to himself.

Ivan sat up. "I don't know. I think my parents expected me to be some kind of badass soldier blowing up enemy bases and shit. Look how well that turned out, right?" He joked, wrapping an arm around Cody's shoulders. He looked away, trying to hide the fact that he was blushing.

"I mean... I think you're pretty cool!" Cody pointed out. Although he didn't do it physically, he was mentally yelling at himself. He sounded like a complete suck up! How could he be acting that way around the one person it mattered to?

Ivan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. A stoner like me is just the coolest fuckin' guy around, isn't he, bud?" He said sarcastically, pulling out his phone and flipping through his messages. "I think I should be the one to start a conversation. Are you doing anything today?" He asked.

Cody's eyes widened. "Oh, crap!" He exclaimed, getting up and running for the bathroom. Ivan followed, not sure of Cody's sudden outburst.

"What's the matter?" He questioned. Cody walked up to the mirror, looking at his reflection.

"I have another meeting today, but..." Cody paused. "I can't go there with these bandages on my face! I'll look pathetic!" He reached for the side of a bandage and weakly tugged, wincing at the feeling of the bandage pulling his skin.

"Here, let me help," Ivan offered. He put down his bowl of cereal and his phone, walking up to Cody and turning him around to face himself. He grabbed the side of the bandage Cody was previously holding, looking him in the eyes. "I'm going to count to three, and then I'm going to pull this off. I should warn you though, it's going to hurt. Like, a lot. Do you trust me?"

Cody meekly hummed "mmhmm" under his breath and Ivan held on tighter to the bandage. "Alright. One... two..."

"GAHH-!!" Cody screamed suddenly, stumbling backwards. It had felt as though every piece of skin was ripped from his face in that certain area and the fact that the scar hadn't completely healed wasn't helping the pain. "Why didn't you say three?!"

"Because!" Ivan exclaimed. "If you say three when you count down, you'll expect what's coming and flinch. That makes it hurt more!"

Cody wiped away the tear that managed to spill from his eye. "Fine. Do the next two and get it over with." Ivan grabbed the bandage on the bridge of Cody's nose.

"One... two..." He ripped it clean off, Cody yelping in pain, though not as loudly as last time. He went to touch where the bandage had been pulled from his face but flinched as the wound still stung.

"Sorry. Just one more and we're good," Ivan explained. He grabbed the last bandage and ripped it off, not even bothering to count down. He knew Cody was in an immense amount of pain and didn't want to prolong his agony.

"...Thanks," Cody hesitated. "Now, I need to get changed, so can you... leave? For a couple of minutes?" Ivan smirked, walking closer and putting a hand under Cody's chin.

"Aw, c'mon..." He whined, obviously not serious. "No need to hide around me. All good friends have seen each other naked at least once, right?"

Cody's face went pale with embarrassment, and his eyes went wide. "N-no, I don't think that's the case..." Ivan smiled wider, brushing Cody's bangs out of his face with his fingers before turning around and standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, I should leave you alone. Besides, I still need to get changed." Cody looked at him curiously. He knew that Ivan wasn't lazy per say, but he certainly didn't seem like the type to get dressed when he wasn't going anywhere.

"Where are you going...?" He asked slowly in an almost whisper, feeling like he was intruding on Ivan's privacy. Ivan still stood not facing him, but he turned his head so he was looking over his shoulder at Cody.

"With you of course," he stated, playfully. "What? Gonna stop me?" Ivan raised his eyebrows, making Cody focus all of his attention on him. He had thought he'd been the one acting strange, but Ivan seemed... different. Not that Cody had known him long enough to be certain this wasn't average for him, but it still struck him as odd.

"You can come with me, sure. Just didn't think that was your type of party. Now, it would REALLY be doing me a solid if you let me get changed," Cody explained. Ivan shut the door to the bathroom and went to his bedroom, changing into his normal attire of his leather jacket, Pink Floyd shirt and jogging pants. He walked back to the bedroom where Cody was wearing a completely leather outfit, aside from the bandana wrapped around his forehead. His hair was slicked back with hair grease, and his eyes looked much darker. Ivan assumed he was wearing tremendous amounts of eyeliner.

"Wow. THAT was fast," he admired, looking Cody up and down, who blushed. He quickly shook his head and flashed a confident smile.

"I'm aware. I just get faster every time I go through my routine," he explained. Cody walked over to the kitchen table where a pen & note pad was, jotting something down and placing it back on its place on the table. Ivan read what was written.

_To Tara,_

_I have another meeting today. Took Ivan with me. Don't try cooking anything while we're gone!_

_-Cody_

"Why the note?" Ivan inquired, and Cody shrugged.

"Just want her to know where we are. I don't want her going into a panic attack if she thinks we were kidnapped or something," he told. Ivan accepted this answer, following Cody outside the front door and to a shed. This was different from Tara's shed and was actually more like a garage. Cody lead Ivan inside, where a glorious motorcycle complete with gear for two people was stored. Ivan stared in awe at the machinery, while Cody pulled the motorcycle out of the shed and handed a helmet to him.

"Yeah, most people stare like that," Cody told, putting the helmet on his head. It was only when he turned around that Ivan noticed the Heaven's Outcasts insignia on the back of his leather vest. He had seen it before, but something looked off. Sure, the heart with wings was still in the centre, but the border looked larger than he remembered.

"Did you change your logo?" Ivan asked, and Cody turned around to answer him.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, the logo. Every generation of leaders gets to add something to it as long as they don't change the original design too much. This chevron pattern around the outside is my inclusion," He explained, pointing to the symbol. "We change leaders every ten years, so we make changes frequently."

Ivan looked and counted the number of rings around the main design. Including the heart with wings, there were 5 designs in total. "Wait, you guys have been around for 50 years?!"

"It's more like 55..." Cody huffed, dejectedly. "I started when I was 20, and I'm 25 now. It's honestly kinda sad to remember that my time is half up..." He shook his head, a smile returning to his face. "Never mind that! Can't be sad right now. Too many important things to do. Have you got your helmet on yet?"

Ivan fumbled with the clasp until he heard it click, then gave Cody a thumbs up. "Alright, good. Now, I'm gonna get on this thing and you're gonna sit behind me. Sound good?" Cody asked and Ivan nodded his head.

"I should warn you, we go pretty fast..." Cody warned. "You may want to get a tight grip on me." He sat on the motorcycle, revving up the engine. Ivan rolled his eyes and sat behind him reluctantly, putting his hands on Cody's shoulders. Once they pulled out of the driveway and hit the main road, Ivan was clinging onto the driver for dear life.

"I told you we go fast!" Cody yelled over the sound of the vehicle soaring down the dirt road. Due to the fact that there were laws in place that enforced motorcycles to go slower than other vehicles because of the amount of dust they kicked up, they weren't even going nearly as fast as they could've. "Just wait until we get into town! We'll be FLYING by then!"

Ivan pupils shrunk, wrapping his arms around Cody's abdomen and shifting his body closer. "Can we maybe NOT go that fast?!" he asked, a slight shakiness to his voice. Cody grinned.

"What kinda gang leader goes slow on a motorbike?!" he questioned rhetorically as he drove into town, hitting the gas. He felt Ivan trembling on his back, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to go a  _little_ slower. Luckily the HQ was on the edge of town and they didn't have to drive far before Cody pulled up in front of the place.

"Alright, we're here..." he sighed, looking up at the average sized building that stood before him.

Ivan noticed his shift in tone. "Hey man, you alright? You're actin' funny." Cody turned to look at him.

"...When we get in there, I feel like I should warn you that I'll have to put on a fake personality for my peers. They look up to me as a strong leader, and I wouldn't want to let them down thinkin' I'm some kinda... I dunno, but anything but tuff." he sighed, then got off the motorbike, gesturing for Ivan to do the same. "You should go ahead in, I'm going to park my bike out back. If anyone asks, tell them Rosebud sent ya." He went behind the building as he said, the same way Ivan, Darby, Wesley and Andre had gotten in before. This time Ivan decided to go in through the front door, and he knocked on the solid oak door once he got to it. A scrawny looking boy answered the door, whom Ivan remembered as Brady. He had short, scruffy black hair, skin so white he practically looked like a vampire and brown eyes that seemed to be tinted scarlet. Of course, Ivan didn't get a good look before he was rapidly pulled into the building.

Brady held a butterfly knife to Ivan's jugular as two of the more muscular goons stood beside the scene. "Who sent you?!" Brady barked, pressing the knife closer. Ivan's mind raced, quickly trying to remember Cody's cover name.

"R-Rosebud! Rosebud sent me!" he suddenly remembered, causing one of the goons to gasp.

"Hey! That's the le--" he was silenced when Brady reached over and smacked him across the face.

"I know that, Dumbass!" he snapped. He turned his attention back to his captive. "Now, how am I supposed to know that you didn't just guess that name? Maybe you forced it out of our dear leader, perhaps? I wouldn't want to have anyone else knowing the location of our HQ, anyway..." Just as Brady was about to slice Ivan's throat, someone called from the hallway.

"Brady!" they shouted, walking closer. Brady immediately put the knife down and sunk to one knee, turning around to see Cody glaring over him.

"I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you this..." Cody started. "You are not to threaten anyone who comes through the door. Hell, you tried to kill the mailman last week and damn near got our cover blown! If someone is suspicious, you bring them to me. Understood?" He placed his foot on Brady's back, making him sink to his hands and knees. Ivan watched in awe, amazed at the amount of control Cody had over his followers. While he knew it was merely an act, there was something rather endearing about it.

Brady looked down at the floor. "Yes! W-Won't happen again, Cody. Won't happen again." Cody removed the pressure from his back, allowing Brady to stand. He was unable to meet Cody's eyes and simply walked behind him. The rest of the gang went to see the commotion.

"Now, if I may address you all for a moment..." Cody wrapped an arm around Ivan's shoulders. "This is Ivan. You are all to treat him as one of your own, possibly of a higher level than yourselves. Is that well and good?" he asked. The gang members chatted amongst themselves and nodded, but Brady spoke up.

"Cody, I'm of the highest level here, only below yourself!" he whined. "You can't possibly be serious, can you?"

"Brady, you are not the one who makes decisions. The only reason you are of the worth you are is due to the fact that you've been a part of the gang a slightly shorter time than myself. Now, you wouldn't want me to... demote you to a lower rank, yes?" Cody walked over and placed a hand under his chin, and Brady seemed to stumble, still not able to meet Cody's eyes.

"No, sir. I understand," he said in an almost whimper. Cody let go and began to address the group.

"I'm going to accustom Ivan to the gang. In the meantime, go about your daily routines." He grabbed Ivan by the hand and lead him upstairs to the second floor where there was a bedroom. The two walked inside shutting the door behind them, and Cody plopped down on the bed, sighing.

"Wow, man, the shit you were doing back there was pretty rad," Ivan admired, sitting next to him. "You have an interesting way of commanding your peers. I like it."

"Heh, thanks," Cody gave in with a half-hearted chuckle. "It's just my job, I suppose. Most of our past leaders weren't very... organised. I wanted to go about my leadership as more like the boss of a company than a harsh dictator. Make sense?"

"Yeah, I suppose..." Ivan said. Now that he had a moment to relax, he began to take in his surroundings. Practically everything in the room was an off-white colour, which Ivan wasn't sure was due to ageing or natural colour. In the centre of the room was the shabby bed they were sitting on, a closet to the left of the room surely filled with more leather outfits and a bedside dresser. Ivan looked at the dresser curiously.

"Hey, what's in here?" he asked, leaning over to open the drawer. Cody shot up in bed with a look of worry.

"W-Wait! That's personal stuff!" he panicked, trying to restrict Ivan's arms. Ivan broke free, laughing to himself as he silently wondered what was contained within the dresser. When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a forest green hoodie. Once he picked it up, he noticed that the back had the words "Heaven's top outcast" embroidered in small, fancy print, hidden under the hood if it was folded down. Ivan turned it over in his hands several times, eyes wide with envy.

"Whoa..." he whispered in awe. "This is a nice hoodie." Cody also looked, seeing the excitement in Ivan's eyes. He'd never seen him look at anything that way before, knowing he must have really liked it.

Cody sighed before answering. "You can have it if you want. I'm surely never wearing it again."

Ivan made eye contact with him, then wrapped his arms around Cody's slightly muscular body. "Really?! Dude, you're the best!" He jumped off the bed and took his leather jacket off, putting on the hoodie and looking at himself like a child wearing their father's clothes. Cody watched, giggling at Ivan's sudden change in personality from cool and nonchalant to excited and giddy.

"Well, I've gotta pay you back for this, right?" Ivan questioned in concern, and Cody shrugged.

"No, it's fine. Keep it! It's... a gift. From me." Suddenly, Ivan sat down on the bed and put his leather jacket on the man beside him.

"You-- You're giving me your jacket?" Cody asked in shock. "But you still wear this! It's like your prized possession!" Ivan chuckled, placing his hands on Cody's shoulders.

"I'm not gonna wear it anymore if I have this. Besides, it didn't go with my stoner aesthetic, anyway." Cody suddenly understood why Ivan had gotten so giddy about receiving clothes. He thanked him graciously, curling himself into a ball on the bed and smiling.

"Jeez, we aren't even dating yet and we're already taking each other's clothes!"

Cody's face went red, realising he'd actually said what he was thinking. Ivan turned to him, confused. "Wait, are... do you... Cody, do you have a crush on me?"

Cody swallowed any sense of dignity he had, basically saying 'screw it' and grabbing Ivan by the forearms and looking into his eyes. "...Yes. Yes, I do, Ivan! I don't know why, seeing as how literally just met like a day or two ago and it may just have to do with the fact that I literally have no one else I could ever date, but yes. I love you, Ivan!" Ivan looked back at him intently, then smirked.

"Hey, Code-ster. Do you know what they call it when your crush loves you back?" he asked. Cody's face flushed of any colour and his pupils shrunk.

"No, I don't think so..." he mumbled. "Imagination, maybe?" all of a sudden, their lips smashed together, causing Cody to gasp in shock, pulling away suddenly.

"I don't understand... Why are we like this? We just met! We shouldn't feel this way yet!" he exclaimed.

"I dunno, love is weird," Ivan explained. "Sometimes you just kinda like a person sometimes. You can't really control it." He leant in and cupped Cody's face, closing his eyes and panting heavily. "And as for us-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. Ivan groaned, looking over. "What now?!" he snapped.

"I only take orders from the leader, Ivan," the weak voice of Brady spoke from outside the door.

"Well, I'm with your leader, and he says you can fuckin' wait!" Ivan connected his lips with Cody's once again, enjoying hearing his soft moans. Another set of knocks came, this time more rapidly.

"Cody, sir, it's a code black!" Brady exclaimed. Cody quickly pulled away and jumped out of the bed, rushing to the door and opening it.

"Alright, what's the issue?" he questioned.

Brady seemed frightened. "There's a suspicious person outside of the building. The one with the hoodie that was on TV?"


End file.
